National

Partially Implemented FOIA Adds to Skepticism and Mistrust

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – The Organization for Responsible Governance is weighing in on the lack of movement on a FOIA bill that passed in Parliament nearly a decade ago.

Published

1 week ago

December 14, 2025

Jasmin Brown

NASSAU, BAHAMAS – With 2025 drawing to a close, it appears the Davis administration is no closer to fully enacting the Freedom of Information Act.

The Organization for Responsible Governance is weighing in on the lack of movement on a bill that passed in Parliament nearly a decade ago.

The Freedom of Information Act may have been passed in 2017, but years later, it still remains only partially implemented.

Still missing are critical tools needed to access government-held information.

ORG Executive Director Matthew Aubry says this limits citizens’ ability to scrutinize public decisions, participate in governance, and hold institutions accountable.

And that’s not all Aubry says FOIA can achieve. The ORG official says it can also boost public trust and deter corruption.

But not fully enacting FOIA is an issue, says Aubry.

Matthew Aubry – Executive Director, Organization for Responsible Governance
“When these are passed and not fully enacted, then they don’t achieve their benefit… we don’t see them and in many ways, the fact they’ve continued to not be passed… Freedom of Information, which is now 8 years out from its passage… it only adds to skepticism. It only adds to mistrust. It only adds to speculation and feeds into the partisan political rhetoric that sometimes stalls progress.”

But just how close is government to fully enacting FOIA remains unclear.

On Monday, the Nassau Guardian reported that Attorney General Ryan Pinder K.C. said government was still working on it.

But back in January, the attorney general told Our News they had an implementation plan that would enable public requests for information by the end of this year.

Aubry says years of waiting is not a good look.

Matthew Aubry – Executive Director, Organization for Responsible Governance
“When laws are passed but not enforced and not enacted, then it tells citizens that this is something that just sits on a shelf and we dont have to apply or expect it in our own lives and that feeds not only corruption but the perception of corruption and in many ways the perception of corruption is just as destructive.”

And it is not just FOIA that can make a difference. He says a suite of anti-corruption legislation passed in recent years is also vital.

Matthew Aubry – Executive Director, Organization for Responsible Governance
“Making sure that the laws of the land are active and achieving their intended benefit is a critical part of integrity. So ensuring that laws like freedom of information… the anti corruption laws that were passed earlier this year like the Independent Commission of Investigations Bill or the Protected Disclosures Bill, the Public Procurement Bill that was passed in the last administration and another version passed in this administration, where yout suppose to have access to the full range of contracts that are being disperesed by both government and state owned enterprises… these things are designed to ensure thare is transparency and accountability. They’re designed to build citizens’ trust in the governance operations.”

During its 10 years of existence, one thing has been clear: ORG has pushed and will continue to push for FOIA to be more than a political promise.